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lliiliiiljilililiilli 


Ne.  120. 


THE  CHRISTIAIf'S  CONSOLHTION, 

THE    OPERATIONS    OF    FAITH. 

• 

"Get  thee  out  of  thy  conntrv,  and  from  thyicimJ:ed, 
.ftnd  from  thy  father's  house  into  a  land  that  I  will 
show  thee."  Thus  spoke  the  Almiorhty  to  Abraham, 
©id  lie  obey  ?  He  did.  The  sacred  chronicle  says, 
•*  lie  went  out,  not  knouuiif/  ichit/ier  Ae-ioe;i«'."  Yes,  he 
forsook  liis  home,  his  country,  the  friends  of  his  youth, 
nil  Uie  pleasant  c^sociaLiou?  of  hia  early  life,  u-nd  »v«nt 
fotrth,  a  pilgrim  wanderer,  he 'knew  not  whither.  Henc*- 
fort5h,  he.  must  dvrell  with  strangers;  he  must  move 
through  hostile  countrio-s;  Ik»  must  be  a  m^u,  marked 
by  all  raeRajsingularjlnd  difTrring  from  the  whole  wo^ld^ 
Nor  could  be 'explain  himseK  so  as  to  be  comprehend- 
•ed,  because  his  motives  were  spiritual,  and  to  au 
idolatrous  world  inexplicable. 

Abrahnm's  emigration  was,  therefore,  one  of  the 
most  sublime  instances  of  human  reliance  on  the  Divine 
veracity,  recorded  in  the  his'ory  of  marr!  God  prom- 
ised him,  ill  his  descendants,  the  possesvion  of  Canaan. 
Without  visible  proofs,  or  outward  probabilities,  rely- 
ing solely  on  the  promise  of  God,  he  took  the  required 
steps  to  inherit  th?  promise.  He  went  fearlessly  into 
hostile*  nations  ;  ho  croj-sed  wi'dernesscs  without  ter- 
ror ;  he  became  a  hoinf>less  wanderer,  yet  without  any 
apprehension  of  want  or  danger.  ''I  api  obc\ing  Je- 
liovih!      He  will  provicc  I     My  children   shall  flvrcU 

-  '  4 


3 


iti  Canaan  I  I  stiHlI  have  a  city  out  ol  a'ght;"  was 
ilia  language  of  his  confiding  spirit, 

'i'jiis  was  (me,  saving  faith — a  practical  confidence 
in  Gud.  And  this  is  the  coitHdence  wbich  ovi-'ry  true 
be  iever  should  have  in  his  hi3:ivtiniy  Father. 

Tt  ts  a  beHever's  privilege  to  have  niiUciiicd  nnd 
abiding  conMdence  in  God.  lie  may  feel  always  thai, 
bo'h  in  things  f-piritual  and  temporal,  God  will  do  the 
very  best  that  can  be  done.  {\v.  may  dismiss  all  dis- 
tresding  fears  concerning  the  pi-eseni  or  future.  With 
Da'-id  he  may  sriyo^  this  life  and  its  necessary  blessings: 
"The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,  \  shall  not  want;  -"  smd, 
in  oljedienfe  to  Christ,  he  ra*y  expel  trouble  fi'om  his 
br«'ait.  «What  Christian  can  Jear  when  Chriafc  so 
sweetly  whisper.^.  :  ''-Let  not  your  heiirt  l>e  troubled.'^ 
*'  Fear  not,  Lftle  flock  "  "  S  ek  first  the  Kingdom  of 
God  aud  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall 
be-  added  unto  ytW-j/' 

These  texts  are. ample  fouudationsfor  the  strongest 
confidence.  They  authpiize  .^aa  to  expect  sufiicient 
spirituiil  aid  to  overcome  the  vYorll,  the  9e.sh,  and  the 
T)evil  ;  and  ti^ey  give  a  pledge  that  in  this  life  a  true 
Christian  shall  n-ver  suffer  ?'(Sr/7.'(?i!i/.  lie  shall'  have 
food  and  raiment,  ])rope^ty  and  blessing,  syfiicient  to 
eiVibie  hiin  to  do  God's  will  m  the  be-i  inanuer  and  to 
gain  oierual  life. 

Our  sensitive  and  selfish  yaturfes  shrink  from  afflic- 
tions. We.. look  upon  them  as  ghastly  spectrra  or 
haun;ing  £;ho3t5.  Hence,  vi?hen  they  enier  our  habita- 
tions and  lay  our  Vjodiea  on  sick  beds;  or  burn  olir 
property,  bring  cuni'usiou.npon  our  bu^ii'ess  arrange- 
ments, and  plunge  us  into  a  chaos  of  financial  diffi- 
culties, and  we  let  our  faith  siiik  lovver.ahd  lower.— 
L^nbe  ief  rises,  and  we  doubt  wnethen  God  is  really  do- 
iiig  for  na  all  he  has  promised  to  do.  • 

A  certain  father  once  took  his  son  to  sea.  lie  v/j3  a 
n  .vul  olficir  of  some  celsbrity,  and  hitf  purpose  was  lo 


:\ 


make  liis  son  eminent  in  the  uaval  servioe.  To'ac- 
complish  this  end,  he  saw  it  was  necnss  iry  to  unve  his 
son  become  a  ihorouf^h  seain.m.  He  wisiicd  him  to 
understand  every  part  "of  a  SHi'oc's  duty. 

When  the  Ind' went  on  board  his  father's  ship,  .he 
naturally  expected  som-e  indulgence.  The  trnnsition 
fropi  an  ele^^ant  homje.  a  kind  inotiher,  accompliyhed 
sisters,  to  the  vbw^h  and  sloi-my  life  of  the  sailor,  whs 
very  great.  He  hoped,  therefore,  for  he  knew  his  fath- 
er to  be  kind,  to  e.sttapy  the  severer  duties  of  his  sta- 
tion. 

But  ho  was  self  deceived.  Once  at  the  post  of  duty, 
Ids  father  made  i>o  di.stiiictioi\  In  the  dark  and  drea- 
ry night,  he  whs  ordered  a-Iofr  wish  his  c tripanions. — 
Once,  when  dreadfully  sea-sick,  he  ventured  to  his  lath- 
er with  a  request  to  be  excused.  '*  Do  y^ur  c'u  ▼.  sir  I " 
was  the  stern  r«ply  ;  niici  as  to  boy  mounted  the  gid- 
dy tnast  th»t  ni^^ht,  lie,  for  the  fust  time,  doubtt-d  his 
father's  love. 

_  Like  his  young  shipmafe^  be  sometimes  committed 
little  misdemeanors — he  violated\some  of  the  minuter 
rules  of  naval  di-cip!ine.  "  Mv  father  is  Captain,'' 
was  his  inward  thought ;  '^I  shall  have  ic^dnlj/ence."— 
Again  he  was  dec-ii-ed.  The  rebuke  upon  him  fell 
«terner  and  more  severe  than  on  -any  of^her  lad.  Once 
more  he  dor.bted  his  father's  love. 

This  lad  was  of  buoyant  spirits'  and  of  daring  mind. 
Ho  prid?d  himself  in  fe  its  of  sKili  and  courage.  '  0"e 
day  he  climbed  the  topmast  height  of  the  taper  mast, 
and,  to  the  terror  even  of  the  sailor?;,  stood  upright  on 
the  main  truck-  A.t  th:it  instant.  Ids  fath-r  came  up 
from  the  cabin.  '' See^  your  son,  sir!  "  exclaimed  hi^ 
Lieutenant,  pale  wi^h  fVar,  One  gUmce  of  his  eye,  a.  snd- 
<^ea  ru<h  into  the  cabin,  a  mom(*at"3  time,  and  th;^  fa- 
ther stood  wiih  rifle  pointed  toward  his  son.  shouting: 
"  Jumi)  over  board,  s  r,  or  I  will  shoot  you."  The  boy 
K'aj)ed  into'^^he  sea  and  wa,s  saved.     Not  uuderbtaud- 


4 


ing  the  object  of  his  father,  the  lad  a^ain  doubted  hh 
f-itber'fl  lovfe. 

The  cruise  oi  nearly  four  years  was  ended  and  tte 
Tad  and  bis  father  were  once  more  in  the  lialls  of 'their 
aneestoi'-s.  The  boy  had  become  almost  a  man.  He 
wa  skJlled  in  seamanship,  and  the  service  frould  not 
prodnce  a  rnone  skilful  and  pfomising  young  officeir 
than  he.  In  their  home,  too,  the  father  waa  as  te^d6^^■ 
and  affectionate  as  he  was  prior  to  the  cruise.  The 
youth  wandered  at  the  mystery  of  his  parent''8  conduct. 
Ster«  and  «evere  at  sea,  but  kind  and  loving  at  heme  ; 
what  could  be  his  real  character  ? 

The  father  and  soti  are  elosetecf.  '"  My  sow,"  s«ys 
ike  fatkfer,  "  you  have  probably  wondered  ntsome  parts 
of  my  condu-ct.  I  compelled  you  to  go  aloft' when  you 
were  sea-sicfe.  I  rebuked  you  severely  for  your  occa- 
sional f;mlts  It  was  painful  to  me  to  do  these  things, 
fe'Ut  7/our  interests  required  them.  I  meant,  if  poss'ble^ 
to  make  you  a  brave  and  finished  seaman.  The  things 
you  lelt  most  keenly  about,  were  the  most  necessary 
for  your  S;ial  profit.  When  I  threatened  to  shoot  you 
sw  you  stood  on  the  m^ain  truck,  it  was  io  save  your 
Hife.  Had  I  expostulated  a  r^on^^ent  you  would  have 
iiallen.  Tkt-^e  was  no- \va.y  so  Siav&  your  life  but  to- 
foreey©>a-  to  lump  into  the  sea.  ,  I  ha'Ve  aioired  i-il'  a'll' 
the«e  things  to  secure  your  bene&t." 

The  reader  canreadlly  imagine  Cha't  Sirch  an  expla* 
nation  woiild  entiFi  ly  reiSfOve  the  doubts,  which  the 
apparently  harsh  disci joliae  of  the  father  had  excited 
in  the  son.  He  wotild  even  condemn  himself  for  hav- 
ing doubted  at  all;  and  wonder  at  the  mental  stupidi- 
ty which  preveiited  him  from  entering  inio  his  father's 
wise  designs. 

Precisely  similar  nre  the  dealings  of  God  with  believe 
ers.  His  children  cannot  be  discovered  by  any  outward 
provinces;  nor  distinguished  from  sinners  hy  visible 
signs  of  heavenly  fa,YQi',     Nay,  they  are  on  the  other 


hand,  often  aorely  afflicted.  A  pnous  Joseph  is  malign- 
ed, persecuted  and  oppressed  ;  a  faithful  David  is  hunt- 
ed liiie  a  beast  of  prey  by  his  wicked  enemies ;  a  reso- 
lute Daniel  is  castinfo  a  den  ot"  lions  for  his  faithful- 
ness; a  submissive  Job  is  stripped  of  his  precious  things 
and  made  a  spectacle  of  desolation ;  a  faithful  Jeremiah 
is  cast  into  a  pit;  a  devoted  Stephen  is  jj^iven  up  to 
•  tha  violence  of  gospel  haters;  a  zealous  Paul  is  com- 
pelled to  carry  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  and  an  iiffectionato 
John  to  be  an  exile  on  lonely  Patnios.  .    • 

The  key  to  nil  this  suflkting  in  the  disciples  of  the 
Saviour  is  furnished  by  that  apostle  w  ho  wrote  that :  — 
•'  All  these  things  work  together  for  good  to  thera  that 
love  God;  "  and  "These  light  afflictions,  which  aro  but 
for  a  moment,  work  out  for  us  a  far  mure  exceeding 
and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 

Here  we  have  the  solution  of  these  untoward  Provi- 
dences which  sometimes  successively  overtake  a  pious 
Clidstian.  (iod  is  aiming  to  make  his  salvation  sure. 
To  him  the  present  convenience  of  the  believer  is  noth- 
ing compared  to  his  eternal  blrssednes'^.  The  happi- 
nots  of  the  disciple  in  this  h'/e  i-»  not  the  e7id  of  God's 
gracious  providences  :  the  end  with  liim  in  his  eleva- 
tion to  glory.' 

This,  then,  is  one  work  of  faith.  To  be  unmoved, 
coriBdent  and  calm  in  the  darkest  hour.  However  se" 
Merely  tried ;  however  storm-tossed,  however  much 
threatened  with  de  truetion,  to  indulge  no  '^oubt  in 
God.  Like  a  boy  at  rea  who  reiained  his  childish  bnuy- 
ancy  in  the  midst  of  a  terrible  storm,  which  strained 
the  ship  to  the  limit  of  her  endurance  and  made  the 
most  practised  sailor  tremble  in  expeclAtion  of  instant 
death.  Seeing  him  so  cool,  a  sailor  said  to  bim,  "  Are 
you  >-  fraid  ?  " 

*•  No,''  was  his  prompt  reply. 

"  But  the  gale  ia  very  terrible,"  responded  the 
sailor.  . 


« 


*'l  know  it.  B  U  mj  Jaiher  ''s  al  the  helm  I  " 
Admirable  contidenoe  !  would  that  the  children  of 
God  would  always  inaintain  such  faith  in  their  father, 
and  learn  to  say  in  evfe.y  conflict  and  d;in<jer,  ^'.Mjf 
father  is  at  the.  liehri,  God  is  ruler,  lie  is  pledged  ti> 
secure  my  safety.     I  cannot  suffer  real  evil." 

"  What  we  know  not  now  we  shall  knowi  hereafter,^\u 
an  inspired  statement.  It  is  tiue.  As  the  nival  offi- 
cer explained  his  conduct  to  his  eon.  so  will  Jehovah 
condescend  to  shew  his  molives  in  sending  heavy  triak 
tDn  his  chosen  one.  The  weeping  molher  shall  know- 
why  God  took  that  sweet  babe  from  her  breast ;  the 
widow  shall  be  satisGod  that  God  was  kind  in  taking 
away  her  life's  chfef  delight — the  friend  and  par:ner  of 
her  youth:  the  orphau  siiall  underst:\nvl  the  cause  of 
histbeing:  left,  to  the  cold  charities  of  a  heartless  world  ; 
and  the  merchant  bhali- have  the  mysteries  of  his  many 
tanforeseen  reverses  revealed.  Wait,. then,  in  faith,  dear 
reader,  for  the  issue  of  your  aftliclions.  Believe  witli 
all  your  heirt  that  all  will  terminate  well ;  that  when 
you  ha'<'e  overeoiTie  and  are  joined  'o  the  hosts  of  heav- 
eu,  and  think  of  your  bitteres;  affliction, 

'^  This  note  above  the  rest  shall  .'••^vell, 
My  Jesus  has  done  all  things  wei.'' 

There  will  be  also  a  constant  necessity  in  yonr  ex- 
perienc':^  for  what  I  would  c;i!l  a  special  Jaixh  To  ex- 
plain my  meaning,  let  me  imagine  a  young  m:m  de- 
pendant upon  his  father-  Thev  live  together  in  perfect 
harmony.  The  failier  freely  and  lovingiy  furnishes  an 
ample  supply  for  his  son's  necessities,  and  the  son.  in 
return  is  affectionate,  t-onfiii' g  I'nd  obedient.  He  has 
an  unshaken  coniidence  in  his, father's  lave  anl  ability. 
Therefore  his  mind  is  untroubled  on  -the  question  of 
hI-3  eartldy  subsi-^tence. 

But   one  day,  the  young  man  perceives  a  very  fine 


opening  iln-  himself  in  busincs.s.  To  Oiiter  it.  he  neeaV 
a  pariicul  r  sum  of  money,  ile  can  only  obtain  it  of 
bis  father. 

"  Will  my  farther  furni-h  me  with  this  money?" 
would  t)p  u  Hr.-,t  and  ntcessair^  question  in  his  mind.  — 
To  solicit  this  aid  irom  his  father,  evopy  reader  can  at 
once  perceive,  requires  a  special  act  of  meiital  confi- 
dence^n  the  youth.  He  might  doubt  his  father's  dis- 
[los'il'xon  \o  do' fliat .particular  favor,  without  being  at 
hU  sh  '.ken  in  his  estabii-hed  conTic:ion  of  that  fither's 
love.  To  soli'it  it,  he  must  have  n  special  and  peculiar 
belief  that  he  will  do  that  particular  favor. 

80  wilh  your  faiih.     While  you  maintain  an  abiding 
belief  that  God  for  Christ's  saice  accepts  you  now;  and 
that  Christ  as  the  admiiiio^trator  of  tbe  universe  is  ru> 
ling  all  terrestri'il  things  for  your  final  profit;  you  will 
jvlso  require  a   special   faith,  for  victo'-y  over  peculiar 
temptations  of  the  W0!ld,.tiie  flesh  and  the*devil. 
Hence,  when  P-uil  ^xliorted    be'ieveis  to  lay  nside 
'  every  weifiht  and    the   sm  which  50   easily  beset  them, 
<&c..  he  bade  thpin  attempt  these  things,  '•  Looking  un- 
I   to  Jesus:  "  i.  e-,  by  exercising  an  especial  faith  in  hira. 
I   lIiH  own    exercises  for    the    removal   of  ihat  trouble- 
some ^Uhorii  in  the  ficsh^-   will  illustrate  this   point. — 
He  had  a  saving  faith  when  the  thorn  came.     Feeling 
it   to  trouMe   ^im,  he  sought   God    t  .rice,  in  believing 
prayer,  to  remove  it.     God  heard  that  roquet,  and  an- 
•ipwered  it  too,  but  not   as  Paul  expected.     He  a.iid.  in 
jefect.  "  I  cannot  take  it  away  :  it  is  for  yourprofit;   bat 
iinjigrace  is  sulScient  for  thee."     Now, when  Paul    felt 
4hi3  v^o.' n    piercing    him,  he   would    require   a  special 
-faith,  in    addition  to   that  which  joined   him  to  Christ  ; 
■fir  rather  ?tjba,i  faith  which  saved    him  would  require   an 
«speciai  direction-     It  ma.st  believe  that  ihis  identical 
jnfflictioi!  was  p-i-mitted  in  -ove.  and  that  the  grace  of 
dhrist  would  enab^  him  to  bear  it. 

JifFort  ih^Df  I  xejfv^'it,  is  needful,     You    ra"st   have 


seasons  for  silent  meditation.  You  mnst  read  what  i« 
revealed  concering  elemity,  sxnd  let  your  mind  dwell 
on  the  statements  of  the  Bible  until  they  are  folt  to  be 
realities.  Let  the  Bible  lead  your  mind  to  Heaven.— 
Place  yourself  among  iis  splendors  and  g'ories.  Yield 
yourself  up  to  the  emotions  which  they  excite.  Study 
them*  until  your  f^oul  flutters  its  vvinnrs  as  if  ready  for 
its  instant  flight,  and,  while  yet  in  the  body,  ingplrea 
the  spirit  of  its  future  home.  Do  this,  and  when  you 
j*o  forth  to  bnsy  life,  carry  these  images  with  you. — 
Sp'^ak  of  them  to  your  religions  friends,  and  you  will 
learn  to  say  habitually — 

"There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair; 
My  treasure  and  my  heart  are  there, 

And  my  abiding  home; 
For  n»e,  my  elder  brethren  stay, 
And  ange-s  beckon  me  away. 

And  Jesus  bids  me  come." 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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